November 15, 2010 Rotogram

STARKVILLE REPORT
Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman, an honorary member of the club, is here today to discuss current issues of importance to our city.

RADIO WFCA, FRENCH CAMP
Next Monday, our guest will be Chuck Carroll, general manager of WFCA Radio at French Camp. WFCA broadcasts Mississippi State’s games in the three major sports. He will explain the mission of both WFCA and French Camp Academy.

FOR THE RECORD – NOVEMBER 8

Invocation and Pledge: Carey Hardin.Attendance: There were 101 members present (61 actives and 40 exempt) for 50.4%. Absent were 60 active, 12 honorary, and 18 exempt members. Membership is 191; 10 members are on leave.Visitors and Guests: Visiting Rotarians were Jim McCluskey of Waco, Texas, and Joe Phillips of Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, Alabama. Member guests were Andrew Grandfield of Jack Forbus, Anne Buffington and Linda Southward of Sandra Harpole; Bart Harris of Larry Mullins; and Roy Hamilton of Allan Tucker. Club guests were Rotary Youth Exchange Student Jessie Hsu, Terry Thomas, Honorary Life Member of the club.Makeups: Gary Jackson made up in Winona; Stu Vance made up on line.

EGG BALL FOR “KIDS COUNT”
J.C. Patton and Sandra Harpole announced plans for an exciting social event for Bulldog fans on the eve of this year’s Egg Bowl football game between MSU and Ole Miss. The first ever Egg Ball will be Friday night, November 26, at Club Level of Davis Wade Stadium. It will feature hors d’oeuvres, dancing to the King Beez orchestra, and a silent auction of unbelievable items and vacation packages.

Tickets will be sold for a charter bus trip (with box lunch) to Saturday’s football game in Oxford.

All proceeds from the Egg Ball will go to Mississippi Kids Count, a project of the Family & Children Research Unit of the MSU Social Science Research Center.

You can learn more about the event and how to get tickets for the Ball, the bus trip, or both on line at www.eggball.eventbrite.com.

WORLD WAR II OCCUPATION EXPERIENCES REMEMBERED
What happens in a country after a wartime defeat is perhaps just as critical as the actual shooting war, according to Bill Nettles. His service in U.S. Army occupation forces in both Germany and Japan after World War II convinced him that reestablishing a stable government should be under military rather than civilian leadership.
Nettles was assigned to the occupation forces in Germany in 1945 then reassigned to Japan in 1948. He said Japan probably provides the best example of successful military government.
He recalled that Emperor Hirohito surrendered in August 1945 after the U.S. atomic bombs destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Up to that point, the Japanese people had been told that Japan was winning the war.
General Douglas MacArthur was named Supreme Commander of Allied Powers in Japan headquartered in Tokyo. He issued orders to the occupation forces that there would be no attacks on Japanese civilians, troops would not eat Japanese food, and flying the rising sun flag was prohibited.
Following the formal surrender on the Battleship Missouri, President Truman issued a directive to MacArthur to promote a pro-American democratic kind of government. The General met with Emperor Hirohito and a photo of the two together paved the way to diminish and eventually eliminate the Emperor’s influence with his people.
MacArthur’s aides, working with the Japanese, drafted a constitution which was ratified by the Japanese Diet in 1946. It drew from the U.S. Bill of Rights, New Deal social legislation, and several European constitutions. It decreed that Japan would not wage war, have no arms, and no standing army. Nettles said this has remained a problem since a nation must be able to protect itself.
In April 1946, the nation held its first election. Nettles said that 78% of the nation’s men and 67% of its women voted and elected Shigeru Yoshida prime minister.
Nettles said that back in Washington, DC, State Department workers took months to develop a document of 800 pages. MacArthur and a handful of aides, had been able to put together the constitution in a matter of days.
He said the military government didn’t ban Japan’s wartime government officials from serving under the new constitution. “Those people know their country, they’re intelligent.” In contrast, in Germany, any person who had been in the Nazi party since 1933 was barred public office under the post-war government.
The Emperor and royal family were granted amnesty. There were fewer wartime military and industrial leaders prosecuted as war criminals.
Nettles said that Japan’s education system was revised. Three years of junior and senior high school were added and the university system revitalized.
There was land reform. The government bought some 5.8 million acres and sold parcels to more than 3 million peasants who had previously worked the land. “They were the happiest people in Japan – then and now,” he said.
Today, although Japan is still abiding by the constitution no arms, no standing army restriction, it has well-trained army, navy, and air “Defense Forces,” Nettles said.
Running short of time, he concluded by once again lauding General MacArthur for his leadership in restructuring the government and getting Japan on the track to recovery. “I’m convinced that Japan is the best example of (successful) post-war military government.”

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR 2011-2012
The nominating committee of three immediate past presidents (Martha Wells, Chip Templeton, and Ned Browning) is calling for nominations for next year’s officers and directors. Nominations are due by Monday, Nov. 29. The slate will be presented for review Dec. 6, and election will be held Dec. 13 (our last meeting of 2010).
Club bylaws require that election of next year’s officers and directors be held the second meeting in December from a slate presented to the club membership the previous week. Nominations will be accepted from the floor if the nominee has agreed to serve and the nominating committee is notified in advance so ballots can be prepared.
Eddie Keith is president-elect. Next year’s nominee for vice president should be from the business community. Secretary W.C. Johnson and Treasurer Jeff Read are eligible for re-election. The Board requests that the membership also nominate and elect an assistant secretary.
Four directors are to be elected, two from the business community, two from the university community. One from each will have been a member for 5 years or less, the other a member for more than 5 years. Directors serve for 2 years.

THIS WEEK’S BETWEEN THE LIONS READERS

Jim Ormon: 9:30 Tuesday at First Presbyterian Church and

9:45 Wednesday at Head Start.

Chuck Rivenburgh: 9:45 Thursday at Head Start.

J.C. Patton: 9:30 Thursday at Head Start.

STARKVILLE’S CHRISTMAS PARADE
Our community’s Christmas Parade will be Saturday, Dec. 4, and the Rotary Float Committee is already at work planning our float. In addition to the committee listed in the Directory, all members who have joined since last Christmas are also assigned to the Float Committee.